AMC Orders Pilots for Knifeman and Galyntine

AMC today announced that it had ordered two pilots, “Knifeman” and “Galyntine,” both of which will be produced by AMC Studios in 2014 for consideration for series for 2015.

“These are both highly original and ambitious pilots that take us into worlds that we haven’t seen on TV before,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s executive vice president of programming, production and digital content. “The bawdiness and fun of ‘Knifeman’ and London in the mid-18th century; and the completely unique take on a post-apocalyptic world in ‘Galyntine’ are right in AMC’s wheelhouse of making television that is both unexpected and unconventional. They’re both driven by creative and production teams that we know are capable of delivering ground-breaking television.”

Set in 18th century London, “Knifeman’ will focus on the untold story of a charming, arrogant, decorum-breaking genius who challenges societal norms to transform his visions into cutting-edge discoveries. A surgeon or “barber” in a time when blood-letting and praying was the norm, John Tattersal is a hard drinking, hard living man not afraid to push the boundaries of modern medicine, even if it takes digging up a few graves to do it. While he makes his living running an unlicensed operating theatre out of his residence, he picks up extra cash harvesting organs for his brother Julian, favorite son and prized physician of the St. Stephen’s teaching hospital. Knifeman is a fast paced, entertaining romp filled with emotion, tackling dark themes with a biting wit. The pilot was written by Rolin Jones (“United States of Tara,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Weeds,” “Low Winter Sun”) and developed by Jones and Ron Fitzgerald (“Last Resort,” “Prime Suspect,” “United States of Tara,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Weeds”), both of whom will serve as executive producers. Media Rights Capital (“House of Cards”), Josh Donnen and Robert Zotnowski are also executive producers. “Knifeman” is inspired by the biography of John Hunter by Wendy Moore, “The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching and the Birth of Modern Surgery.”

“Galyntine” is a wholly-original vision rooted in a both fantasy/action adventure and science-fiction. The pilot takes place at a time after a cataclysmic technology-induced disaster has resulted in a new society that has eschewed any form of technology. This catastrophic event leaves small numbers of survivors scattered around the planet and forced to adapt to isolation and unique challenges. “Galyntine” will explore a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has evolved  with some strange detours. “Galyntine” is a man’s journey of discovery through a changed world and its mysterious people. The project is written by Jason Cahill (“Halt and Catch Fire,” “Fringe,” “Surface,” “Profiler”) and executive produced by Cahill and Greg Nicotero (“The Walking Dead,” This is the End, Oz The Great and Powerful, Transformers). David Zucker and Ridley Scott will also executive produce through Scott Free’s (“The Good Wife,” “Numb3rs”) first-look deal with AMC.

AMC will premiere two new dramatic series in 2014, “Turn” and “Halt and Catch Fire.” The network is also set to bring viewers the second half of the fourth season of “The Walking Dead” and the first half of the final season of the iconic “Mad Men,” in addition to other scripted and unscripted original programming including its Saturday night Western drama, “Hell on Wheels.”